Audiobook Review: The Law of Attraction by Jay Northcote

Synopsis

When a professional relationship turns personal, it’s impossible to resist the law of attraction.

Alec Rowland is a high-flying lawyer in a London firm whose career is his life. He doesn’t have time for relationships and his sexuality is a closely guarded secret. After picking up a cute guy on a Friday night, Alec’s world is rocked to its foundations when his one night stand shows up in the office on Monday morning—as the new temp on his team.Ed Piper is desperate to prove himself in his new job. The last thing he needs is to be distracted by a crush on his boss. It’s hard to ignore the attraction he feels, even though Alec’s a difficult bastard to work for.

Both men strive to maintain a professional relationship, but tempers fray, passions ignite, and soon they’re both falling hard and fast. If they’re ever going to find a way to be together, Alec needs to be honest about who he really is because Ed won’t go back in the closet for anyone.

STORY

NARRATION

Mark’s Review

Karma can be a bitch and this is definitely the case for Ed and Alec after a one night stand! First I have to say that the embarrassment factor of both of these characters was delicious, knowing that Alec, someone who just does one night stands with no strings attached, has to confront Ed, someone he thought he would never see again, who turns up at his work place the week after as a new trainee. OMG! I could feel the discomfort that this must cause, thankfully when I was young all of my one night stands never came back to haunt me and that’s good, believe me.

However, staying single and picking up guys “just for the night” is OK if that is what you really want. But seriously, in the long term it is for most deeply unsatisfying and although these people may convince themselves they're happy , I’ve never been convinced that they really are. Alec is so far in the closet to friends, family and work he can’t see a way out. It’s excruciating living a lie not to think that the danger is you lose track of your real self in the process. Although Alec came across as cold, indifferent and arrogant git, the truth is it’s only a defence mechanism for Alec to keep from getting attached to anyone. The one thing he doesn’t reckon with is Ed who after one night of incredibly steamy sex, showing up in his life a few days later, it’s almost impossible for him to get Ed out of his head. Dilemma or what? Ed is out to family friends and has no problem saying yes when asked by colleagues. He doesn’t flaunt it in everyone’s face he just accepts and feels comfortable with who he is and that makes all the difference. He is what Alec would like to be and have but Alec just can’t find a way out of the closet to even begin to think about having a relationship even though he knows he would like one with Ed.

The question then arises how far is Alec prepared to go to make things work with Ed? Although Ed can see there is a caring and sensitive person beneath the façade he is not prepared to go back in the closet, leading a life of lies and deceit even if it does mean he could be with Alec. So Alec has a lot of painful soul searching to do and take that leap of faith to come out. This is not as easy done as said. For anyone who has experienced this at first hand knows how scary this step can be. Especially when it means you could lose friends and in the worst case family and loved ones turn their back on you. You have to be strong, but it always helps when you know there is someone there for you, to support you and will not leave your side. This is one step that Alec has to take for himself and has to believe that in so doing he can then live the life he dreams of with Ed.

After we learn about the families of both characters and how they dealt with their sons’ gayness, then it’s no wonder that they are the way they are. Ed and Alec had very different experiences as young men from their parents. Ed’s was accepting and supportive, Alec’s parents were a complete other story which explains why he is in the closet. However, the closet can also be like a soda bottle, when you shake it and the pressure builds up then something has to explode and be released. This all came out in a wonderfully emotional scene where Alec tells his parents exactly who and what he is, makes no apologies for it and they either have to accept it or be done with him. My goodness how I winced at this scene but could feel the relief for Alec when there was no more hiding to be done. In actual fact Alec’s coming out I could relate to in many ways and felt for him. An emotionally charged moment for sure.

However, after he gets this behind him then the work can start with building a relationship with Ed and this was all the more beautiful because of it. This story for me was a great example of coming out, people accepting you for who you are and those who don’t can go to hell. But this takes a lot of courage and still keeps a lot of people in the closet. It also shows us that the decision to come out is always a personal one and absolutely no one should try and force another to do this. We have to be sensitive to people’s choices and decisions as we never know what the underlying factors are for their choices in life.

NARRATION

It’s always a wonderful thing to have a book by British author to be read by a British narrator. It lends that book authenticity. Although having said that as a Brit myself I’m always careful with British narrators as there is a danger that they can sound too “BBCish” or posh. Again when narrating such books this would also be out of place. I can honestly say this was not the case with Matthew Lloyd Davies, a narrator who sounds natural and down to earth with no posh airs and graces. I have listened to a number of his narrations and have enjoyed everyone and this latest narration is by no means an exception. Easy to listen to, easy on the ears, and brings the characterisations to life perfectly.

Audio Excerpt

Meet Jay Northcote

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her amazing, occasionally ridiculous husband, two noisy-but-awesome children, and two cats.

Jay comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary gay romance, usually set in or near her home town of Bristol. She enjoys the challenge of bringing the men in her head to life through her words